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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pit — a hole
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. swing — to play on
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. firm — steady
  11. pit — in a race
  12. wind — moving air
  13. stand — to bear
  14. firm — a company
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. swing — in golf
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. firm — decided
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. swing — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com